Chibcha

/ˈtʃɪb.tʃə/ noun

Definition

A member of an indigenous people of Colombia, or their language; also known as the Muisca people who built the advanced civilization in the Andes.

Etymology

From the Chibcha language itself (also called Muisca). The term entered Spanish and English through early contact with these South American peoples during the colonial period.

Kelly Says

The Chibcha civilization built Bogotá and created sophisticated agricultural systems in the high Andes—and the legend of El Dorado (lost city of gold) started because Spanish conquistadors heard about Chibcha rituals involving gold! The myth of lost treasure came from actual advanced engineering and wealth.

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